HOWA - M1500 308 Winchester 20" BBL (1)5RD Mag BBL Action Blued

I installed the .308 20" heavy barrelled action into a MDT Field Stock. The barrelled action is constructed very well. The threaded end is machined very nicely and abuts perfectly to the SilencerCo Omega 300, which seats to the exact same position every time the suppressor is reattached. I performed no break in procedure. I have only shot Federal 168 gr Gold Medal Match through it and have approaching 200 rounds through the gun. Atop the gun is a 1-8x FFP Trijicon with 1/2 moa center dot subtension. To date, I've only shot the gun prone with front bipod to gather data. Thus far, the gun consistently shoots 3/4 moa 5-shot groups suppressed and unsuppressed with a clean barrel (carbon a copper fouling removal using Montana Xtreme products). Groups open up to 1.25 moa as fouling accumulates. POI shifts 1/4 elevation and 1.25 moa windage suppressed/unsuppressed. I have not shot extended strings to see how the barrel performs when hot. I'm confident the gun will shoot 1/2 moa groups with a higher power optic with smaller subtensions. A little second stage trigger creep developed around 150 rounds unrelieved by cleaning. Otherwise, the first stage is smooth, and the trigger breaks clean. I didn't measure the trigger pull weight when new, and I adjusted it down to my preference. The action is now smooth after use. No feeding issues using MDT polymer 5-round magazines, and no extraction issues experienced. The three position safety performs as expected. The gun runs well. I'm very pleased with the setup for the intended use and am tempted to replicate it. Highly recommend.

Ordered this and within a few days my FFL dealer received it.

After glass bedding into a Bell and Carlson M40 stock it was time to hit the range. Cleaned after every shot for the first 5 then cleaned after every 5 shots for the next 10. After pushing my target out to 100yds I was grouping around 1 and a half inches with Aguila 7.62x51 150 grain. Threw some Federal Gold Medal match 168 grain in there and busted out a half inch 4 shot group. You really can't go wrong for the price of this barreled action. Highly reccomend this if you're looking to get started in the bolt action/precision rifle scene. I will say mine did come with quite a heavy trigger (4-5lb), after making adjustemnts thanks to a youtube video I got it down to a safe and reliable 2 lb pull.

I put this together as a budget build this spring, I wanted something more practical and tactical: one piece 20 moa base, Vortex Venom, tried 3 different rings before I settled with what I liked, Bell and Carlson Medalist stock and a Gemtech Suppressor. Last month I finally got to break in the barrel but because of a busy life today was the first day I got to shoot it even though it wasn't ideal conditions- shooting off of the tailgate of my truck, sitting on a cooler, the gun sat in a Cauldwell Tack Driver bag and a rear bag. It was awkward but I let the gun shoot. First off the gun is a pleasure to shoot- the recoil is so mild. After a few rounds of getting dialed in I put some reasonable ammo through it, both brands I'm not really a fan of. First some M80 149 gr ball... I was still just dialing it in. Not great but not horrible- 1.2 inch, 5 shot group. Next my least favorite premium ammo(its all I had) 178 BTHP, and it shot sub moa! Ten rounds and a ragged hole .9 inches. I was surprised that ammo shot that well because historically it has been really bad, almost a joke, "you wanna try some buckshot?". This gun is going to be wonderful with a load work-up and I expect .5 inch groups. So, as far as the quality of the gun goes: the finish is a little rough but in no way bad at all, just some roughness but totally what a tactical gun should be- matte and non-glare. The bolt is very smooth. The safety is a three way: locked and safe, unlocked but safe, and fire. The trigger is way better than I expected, clean break. Its not super light but breaks at about 2.4 pounds and there is zero, and I mean zero creep. So, $500 for the barreled action, $60 for the base, $160 for the rings, $330 for the stock, $500 for the scope, $700 for the suppressor (optional...but not really). That is an amazing deal for a gun that's going to shoot 1/2 moa. I'm going to bed the action just for fun too.

This is my second Howa barreled action from Brownells, last year I purchased a Howa 6.5 CM 26 inch heavy barreled action and put it into an Oryx chassis. Rifle is a tack driver. This purchase was for a 20 inch Howa 308 barreled action which I am putting into a KRG Bravo stock. They are made in Japan and a bargain as far as I'm concerned because of the high accuracy of the barrel and the smooth HACT trigger system. I put Howa barreled actions right up there with Tikka and Bergara.